Sometimes I do. But it’s useless and distracts me from what’s important. Panic can be a sign of stress or fatigue or a lack of control. Just try to address one issue at a time. If you’re tired, have a nap. If you’re stressed, do one thing that will address the stress. And as for control, it’s a state of mind. We don’t control everything (thank heavens). It’s a blessing in disguise. Just breathe. It’ll pass.

I made an appointment with my financial institution for a “check up”. Like visits to the doctor or dentist, it’s important to check in with your bank or credit union regularly to ensure you’re getting good service and healthy advice.

Interest rates are at record lows and credit card debt is at record highs. Ironically, it’s much more difficult to access cost effective debt and it adds to the burden on Canadian families while Canadian financial institutions benefit from record profits.

I drafted a personal budget for 2013. An honest one. Nothing fancy. Just a list of my revenue and my expenses so I can see where the money comes in and where the money goes out. I also did the same for my small business. Now I have a more realistic sense of exactly what lies ahead.

as seen on pinterest

Gail Vaz Oxlade of the television series Till Debt Do Us Part has great resources on her site Debt-Free Forever. Her budget work sheet and get out of debt worksheets were particularly helpful for me.